Sen. Gounardes, AM González-Rojas, Lawmakers and Advocates Rally for Passage of the CREEP Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MARCH 25, 2026

New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined advocates, families, and fellow lawmakers at the New York State Capitol to call for the passage of The CREEP Act. The bill would update protections for stalking and harassment victims in the age of cyberstalking, revenge porn, doxxing, and deep fakes.

The Ceasing Repeated and Extremely Egregious Predatory (CREEP) Behavior Act (S.3394A/A3226A) would follow the lead of 43 other states by allowing civil courts to issue anti-stalking orders, giving stalking victims a faster, more accessible path to protection.

The CREEP Act offers court-issued protection to anyone facing harassment, threats, or stalking—regardless of their relationship to the perpetrator. This new order of protection would allow courts to more quickly and easily protect victims of digital harassment, provide faster support for victims without waiting for an arrest, and better protect those left behind by existing laws.

“Stalking destroys lives. But right now, many survivors in New York are forced to fight for protection through a legal system that isn’t designed to meet their needs," said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. "My CREEP Act would change that by creating a new anti-stalking order of protection that enables civil courts to quickly and easily protect victims of harassment. 43 other states have figured this out. It’s time New York did too. My bill modernizes our laws for a world where harassment has gone digital, and ensures that no victim is left without protection simply because our laws can’t keep up.”

"Too many survivors of stalking and harassment in New York are being left without the protections they need, especially as abuse increasingly takes place online through cyberstalking, doxxing, and deepfakes," said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas. “The CREEP Act is about closing that gap—giving victims a faster, more accessible path to safety by allowing civil courts to issue orders of protection without forcing survivors to wait for an arrest or navigate systems that don’t meet their needs. New York should not be lagging behind when it comes to protecting survivors. It’s time for the Assembly to act and pass the CREEP Act this session.”

“We must protect New Yorkers online from bad actors who harass, exploit, and try to ruin lives,” said State Senator Rachel May. “The CREEP Act updates our laws for today’s realities and gives judges faster, more effective tools to protect victims. Thank you to Senator Gounardes and Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas for their work to ensure all New Yorkers can be online without fear of harassment or harm.”

“No one should have to wait for harm to become a headline before the law takes notice,” said State Senator Robert Jackson. “In a world where abuse can spread with a single click, justice cannot afford to move slowly. As a proud cosponsor of the CREEP Act, I believe people deserve the power to seek protection at the first sign of sustained harm—not after escalation. Safety is not a privilege granted by process; it is a right secured by action.”

"As technology grows and evolves, it is being weaponized in ways we haven't experienced before, and New York State's laws must keep up with this reality,” said State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton. “New Yorkers deserve to be protected from exploitation, intimidation, stalking, and harassment — whether in person or online — and this legislation will provide legal protections for those who need it most. I'm glad that we were able to pass the CREEP Act in the Senate and look forward to getting it over the finish line."

“Protecting individuals from stalking, harassment, and unsafe situations is critical. As a former public defender, the CREEP Act gained my support because I see it as a meaningful step toward modernizing our approach to protecting victims and offering intervention before individuals are drawn further into the criminal legal system,” said Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero. “At the same time, we must ensure that any legislation we pass fully upholds constitutional protections and existing legal precedent. Crawford hearings provide a valuable opportunity for defendants to ensure their right to due process is not compromised when orders of protection are issued in criminal cases. As a lawyer and legislator, we must keep working on this bill to enshrine the same protection in civil court under CREEP. CREEP maintains my support as a Member of the New York State Assembly because our state should not be one of only seven in the country without comprehensive stalking protections, and I am committed to working with my colleagues to strengthen this legislation so it both protects victims and the rights of New Yorkers.”

“The CREEP Act is a highly effective public safety bill,” said Albany County Defense Attorney Lee Kindlon. “It allows New Yorkers to advocate for and secure protections themselves without having to rely on the police to make an arrest. I spent almost twenty years as a criminal defense attorney in the capital region and I can confidently say that CREEP balances protections for the victim while also respecting due process of the accused. As Albany County’s DA, I have also seen how certain cases get dismissed due to the higher evidentiary burden in criminal cases or the accused being deemed mentally unfit–not because the individual is not being stalked. CREEP is an excellent gap filler that these folks can turn to when the criminal justice system falls short. This is a practical, balanced bill that will bolster public safety for every New Yorker.”

“Any New Yorker can become the target of obsession, and no one should be denied access to protection because they were stalked by the ‘wrong’ person,” said Carrie Goldberg, Founding Attorney of C.A. Goldberg, PLLC. “The CREEP Act closes that arbitrary gap and gives victims a civil path to fast, tailored relief without forcing them to wait for an arrest or tragedy. This is what modern, victim-centered law should look like: real due process, real safety, and real intervention before stalking escalates.”

"At Arts Equity Group, we believe that safety is a prerequisite for equity,” said Danielle Amodeo, Founder & Principal Consultant of Arts Equity Group. “Artists, activists, and cultural workers, especially those from historically marginalized communities, are increasingly targeted online because of the power of their voices. Cyberstalking, doxxing, and digital harassment tools of suppression that silence the people our communities need most. New York's current laws leave too many of these individuals without recourse, forcing them to choose between their safety and their work. The CREEP Act closes a gap that should never have existed. We urge the legislature to pass it without delay."

"The CREEP Act provides a much needed pathway for victims of stalking and harassment - deeply invasive crimes that can de-rail lives - to seek civil orders of protection,” said Jane Manning, Director of Women’s Equal Justice. “This is good for survivors, and it's good for public safety. We need the CREEP Act to become law this year.”

"The Joyful Heart Foundation stands firmly behind the CREEP Act,” said Ilse Knecht, Director of Policy & Advocacy for Joyful Heart Foundation. “Everyone deserves protection from stalking, regardless of their connection to the abuser. By passing this legislation New York can finally ensure that every survivor—whether targeted by a former partner or a total stranger—has a clear and certain path to safety. We urge the Assembly to pass the CREEP Act and make justice accessible to all."

“Ninety-eight percent of all deepfake content online is nonconsensual intimate imagery,” said Will Rivera, Managing Director of MyOwn Image. “Ninety-nine percent of those targets are women and girls. At MyOwn Image, we work with survivors of this exact violence. They come to us after their images have been weaponized, after they have been surveilled, after digital harassment has followed them into every part of their lives. And when they go looking for a civil order of protection, New York law says they do not qualify because they were not in a relationship with the person who did this to them. The CREEP Act closes that gap. It recognizes what survivors already know: abuse does not require a relationship. It requires a response. Pass the CREEP Act

"Safe Horizon, the nation's largest nonprofit victim assistance organization, thanks the New York State Senate for passing the CREEP Act and urges the New York State Assembly to do the same as soon as possible,” said Michael Polenberg, Vice President of Government Affairs for Safe Horizon. “The bill extends civil orders of protection to survivors of stalking who do not have an intimate or familial relationship to the stalker. It is imperative that New York State ensures that it is doing all it can to support, uplift and provide resources to those who have experienced and continue to experience violence, stalking and abuse. The State must ensure that survivors have the ability to hold their abuser accountable and access safety and assistance from our courts. Safe Horizon strongly supports the CREEP Act and urges Speaker Heastie and the full State Assembly to pass this important bill as quickly as possible.”

"Legal Momentum is proud to endorse the CREEP Act, a commonsense, long-overdue bill that would finally extend protections to all victims of stalking, regardless of their relationship to the offender,” said Azaleea Carlea, Legal Director of Legal Momentum. “For too long, survivors abused by acquaintances or strangers have been denied protection because of outdated limitations in our law. The CREEP Act would close this gap by creating a pathway to civil anti-stalking orders, allowing courts to act quickly before abuse escalates. As technology makes it easier than ever to destroy someone’s life, our laws must keep pace. Survivors deserve protection and the freedom to rebuild their lives with confidence and safety.”

“Too often, survivors are told to wait until something worse happens,” said Minister Peace, Co-Chair of the Justice Without Exclusion Coalition. “You shouldn’t have to wait for violence to get protection. The CREEP Act lets people act before stalking turns into something worse. New York is overdue to better protect survivors. Pass the CREEP Act now!"

“For many survivors, stalking is a part of a pattern of abuse, intimidating them and forcing them to live with an ever-present threat of violence. The civil anti-stalking orders established by the CREEP Act give survivors a path to stop intimidation and prevent violence before it happens, without requiring an arrest or pre-existing relationship,” said Stefan Turkheimer, Vice President of Public Policy at RAINN. “And stalking today doesn’t require following a victim home or to work, it only requires an internet connection. Even without physical proximity, abusers can harass their victims and make them feel unsafe. It's time for New York to join 43 other states in providing civil anti-stalking orders, and for those orders to meet the needs of 21st century survivors.”

Press Contact:

Billy Richling

Communications Director

State Senator Andrew Gounardes

billy@senatorgounardes.nyc

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